Plot/StoryThe story follows a ronin samurai named Manji. Manji starts out as a criminal, causing problems and doing what he wants. The police come after him and the police inspector who confronts him ends up being his sisterís husband. Needless to say, he does not have the skill to take Manji out and ends up dead. After seeing her husband dead by her brotherís hands, his sister goes into a state of shock and reverts back to the mind of a child. This takes an immense toll on Manjiís conscience and he vows to mend his wicked ways. Unbeknownst to him, an old witch has infected Manji with worms that will keep his body alive even if it is sliced to pieces. The witch tells Manji that he will live forever until he slays one thousand men. Manji wants nothing more then to be free of his tormented life, but he feels an obligation to his sister, so he decides to vanquish criminals to fulfill his quota. He crosses paths with a sword school (Itto-Ryu) that is on a mission to destroy all other schools in Japan. One young girl (Rin) is remaining from a destroyed school and Manji decides to help her take revenge. The Itto-Ryu acolytes encounter Manji various times to engage him and Rin in battle. The fates of Manji and the Itto-Ryu become mysteriously intertwined as they both journey across Japan.

CharactersManji is an awesome character. He starts out very immature and you watch him gradually progress after the shock of his sister's mental problems. He is can be very rude at times, but also can act caring and fatherly, especially in dealing with the girl Rin. The manga permeates with funny quotes and interesting lines from him and his enemies. The enemies themselves are very broad in characterization. Ranging from sadistic serial killers, to poor peasants who have become samurai themselves. Each one uses a unique tool for dealing death out. You will notice the incredibly detailed and realistic weapons portrayed throughout the story. These weapons themselves are almost characters.

Drawing StyleThe artwork in the series is really amazing. You will never see another artist that draws exactly like Hiroaki Samura. Unlike most mangaka, Samura attended art school for quite some time, even though he never graduated because he was picked up to do Blade of the Immortal. The art is very scratchy and gritty, but also brimming with detail. It seems perfect for the locale and the setting, harkening back to the olden days. He also uses a two page spread for important kills, making it very detailed and beautiful in a gruesome way. His knowledge of anatomy is also extensive, allowing for very gory and satisfying fight scenes.

EnjoymentThis manga is one of my personal favorites. It is one of the few series that I really felt compelled to go out and buy because I knew I would end up reading it again and again. I personally own all the volumes that have been released in the US.

OverallThis series has it all: awesome characters, an interesting plot with plenty of twists and turns to keep it good, great drawing, and awesome action sequences. If you like fighting manga, then this is about as good as it gets. I give this series a 5 out of 5.